Iron-clad electric switch.



V. HOPE IRON CLAD ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1909,

. 986,570. Patented Mar.14,1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1,

552M404 I am/male??- d qj iP'uzna M I UMMJG'VU M01214) M fim mwww V. HOPE.

IRON CLAD ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1909.

Patented Mar.14,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. HOPE.

IRON GLAD ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 10, 1909.,

SHEET 3.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

8 SHEBTS k lltikifii-bil llllii v 4 m rinITEn onnren f I VERNON HOPE, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

' IRON-GLAD ELECTRIC! swrrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

- Application fild August 10, 1909. Serial No. 512,219.

ject of the King of Great Britainand Ireland, and residing in Manchester, England,

have invented new and useful Improvements Connected with Iron-Clad Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention herein described relates to iron-clad electric switches (or combined switches and switch fuses) in which the switch blades, in making and breaking the electric circuits, act independently of the operating handle and with sufficient force to make 'or break the circuits as soon as the handle has been moved to a given point for turning the current oil, thereby guarding against'the risks of the switch blades being slowly operated and only partially engaging .or disengaging the contacts. K

The improvements constituting this invention are illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of an iron-clad switchfwith the improvements applied, the switch blades and their fuses belng broken away in order to more clearly show the parts which'constitute the invention, which in this view are in the current-olf position. Fig. 2 illustrates a like view but with the parts in the current-on position. Fig. 3 illustrates a plan of Fig. 2

partly in section and partly broken away;

Figs. 4., 5 and Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate side elevations and plans respectively ofcertain detail parts hereinafter more fully del scribed.

As shown 1 is the box or base part and 2 p the hinged cover part of the iron casing in which the usual switch blades 3 (and their fuses) are inclosed.

4. is the cranked-shaft or rod to the According to the improvements, the boss of the handle 6 is extended intothe casing and at such point isprov'ided with (or has 4. In'practice this arrangement is produced byus'ing a short tubularpart 8 see Figs. 3, 6, and 7 to which is rigidly fixed the handle 6 atone end, and in one with which at the other end is the crank 7. In such tubular part the end of the rod 4; loosely takes its bearing.

I It is preferred to mount the improved switch-blade supporting, regulating and operating devices in the cover 2 of the casing, in order that when the casing is opened the devices shall be out of' the way. A further object (although not necessarily so) in so mounting the devices is to allow of the devices being (in part) also used for looking the cover to its base and preventing its removal when the current is on and unlocking such cover and preventlng the turn ng on of the current when the casing is open. In such case therefore the part 8 is mounted connected to it) a short arm .or'crank 7 ,"the handle in this case being loose on the rod in the side wall of the cover 2 and the base part 1 is made comparatively shallow, while the cover is made dee er.

To the crank 7, which is provided for the purpose with a small connecting and tensioning screw 9, is connected one endof the spring 10, the other end of such spring being connected to the cranked part of the rod 4:- The position of the crank 7 relatively to the axis of the-rod 4and its cranked part is such that, when moved to points on opposite sides of. a dead center line, the spring is first tensioned (elongated) and then allowed to exert its full energy to rapidly operate the switches. To aid in this action and to render the withdrawing of the switch blades from engagement with the contacts not entirely dependent on the spring 10, use is made of a lever 11, see Fig.4, which near one end is pivotally mounted on the plain or the inner end of the part 8 is a-flange' 15, and in such flange is a gap, producing part of a screw 12, secured to the side wall shoulders 16, 17, see Figs. 3 and 6. The lever 11 lies in the path of the shoulder 16 when the part8 is rotated, see Fig. 2. The

distance between the shoulders 16, 17 is such blades are in the current-on position the" spring 10 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, the extension 18 then coming against a fixed stop or stud 20 in order to limit the movements of the handle 6 and afi'ord the necessary resistance to the pull of the spring. When now the handle 6 is moved to switch off current, thereby rotating the flange 15 the shoulder 16 meets the lever to tilt it about its pivot 12 and thereby move the cranked part of the rod 4.away from the switch contacts and the switch blades wholly or partially out of engagement with the con tacts, simultaneously putting the spring 10 in tension and moving the transverse member of the cranked part of the rod until it is over the dead center when-the spring is free to exert its force and effect the rapid movement of the switch blades away from the contacts, the rod 4 coming against a stop 21, see Fig. 1. When it is required to switch on current the handle is moved until the projection 18 meets or almost meets (see dotted lines in Fig. 1) the stop 20, by which time the spring is again tensloned and the transverse member of the cranked part of rod 4 is again over the dead center and the spring free to exert its force in forcing the switch blades into engagement with the contacts.

To prevent the cover 2 being opened until the switch blades are in the current-0E osition, the pivoted lever 11 is formed with a curved and downwardly extending extension 22, and the switch case 1 is provided with a plate 28- one edge of which is beveled or cut to a radius corresponding to that of the said extension when moved by the lever. When the cover 2 is closed and the current switched on the said extension of the lever moves into a position alongside the beveled or curved edge of the plate and thus prevents the cover being opened until the current is switched off. The same devicesserve also for preventing the cover being closed with the switch blades in the on position, the lever extension striking the top edgeof the plate 23 (which is or may be formed with an indention or formed with a shoulder 24 to prevent the extension slipping its abutment, (see Fig. 1) should the switches be in other than in the ofi' position when the lid is closed.

That I claim is 1. In iron-clad electric switches, a metal casing comprising a base and cover and means for hinging said parts to each other, a cranked rod mounted transversely in the cover of the casing, tubular parts let into the side walls of cover, one fixed and the other rotatable, and in which the ends of the cranked rod take their hearing, a handle secured to the rotary tubular part outside the casing, and said rotary tubular part carrying the handle having on that end inside the casing peripheral shoulders, a cranked lever arm secured to the rotary tubular part, and a spring connected at one end to the end of the lever arm and at its other end secured to the cranked part of the said cranked rod, a lever pivotally mounted on the side wall of the base of the casing, with one end adjacent to one of the peripheral shoulders of the rotary tubular bearing part, and said lever having a slot, a projection on the crankedrod projecting through the slot, switch blades carried by the cranked rod, switch terminals in the base part of the casing, stops on the side wall of the cover for the lever arm to bear against when in the current on and current ofi ositions, and a further step on the cover as set forth.

2. In iron-clad electric switches, a metal casing comprising a base and cover and means for hinging said parts to each other, a cranked rod mounted transversely in the cover of the casing, tubular oarts let into the side walls of cover, one ed and the other rotatable, and in which the ends of the cranked rod take their bearing, a handle secured to the rotary tubular part outside the casing, and said rotary tubular part carrying the handle having on that-end inside the casing peripheral shoulders, a cranked lever arm secured to the rotary tubular part and a s ring connected at one end to'the end of t e lever arm and at its other end secured to the cranked part of the said cranked rod, a lever pivotally mounted on the side wall of the base of the casing, with one end adjacent to one of the peripheral shoulders of the rotary tubular bearing part, and said lever having a slot, 11 projection on the cranked rod pro'ecting t rough the slot switch blades carrie by the cranked rod, switch terminals in the base art of the casing, stops on the side wall 0 the cover for the lever arm to bear against when in the current on and current ofi positions, and a further stop on the cover for or the .cranked rod to bear againstwhen in the current ofi position,

the cranked rod to bear against when in the cranked rod in the current on position to 10 current ofi' position a projection on the meet the edge of the block and prevent the side wall of the base 0i thecasing, and said reclosing of the cover, as set forth.

slotted -lever, pivoted to the cover, having 'In witness whereof I have hereunto set my an extension bent toward. the base of the hand in the presence of two Witnesses. casing and designed, when the casing is p VERNON HOPE. closed and the current switched on, to pass Witnesses:

'behind the sziid projection and lock the F'. C. PEN-NINGTON,

cover, and, when the casingjis open with 'the J Y J. BARKER. 

